By Ibrahim Kasita
THE Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) wants a further extension of the Kiira thermal power plant in Jinja contract to avert a return of the 12-hour load-shedding.

The current contract for the 50 mega watts (MW) power plant is expiring at the end of this month after an earlier six months extension requested by the Government and the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company (UETCL) last December.

Uganda generates 316MW of electricity but 380MW is required to power the economy. If 50MW is removed from the national grid, only 266MW will remain, creating a deficit of 114MW.

“The Government should start negotiating with Aggreko to extend their contract until we have a new plant as a replacement,” Dr. Frank Sebbowa, the ERA chief executive officer, argued.

“It is logical to negotiate for an extension of the Kiira contract; otherwise we shall have a big power shortage,” he warned.

“It was hoped that by June, Invespro would have put up a 50MW-heavy-fuel thermal plant but they are behind schedule.

“We will have to continue with Kiira until we are sure that there is another plant as a replacement.” The Kiira power plant was commissioned in November 2006.

It was expected that upon expiry of its contract, a similar plant would be installed in Kimaka in Jinja as a replacement but the delays are threatening to plunge the country into another energy crisis witnessed in 2006.